


Family of Choice

by Chef_Geekier



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Family Feels, Happy Ending, John's Parenting Style, M/M, Mpreg, Non-Explicit Abuse of a Minor, Surprisingly Fluffy, Teen love, Warning: Underage Kissing, Warning: Underage Non-Explicit Sex, Warning: Underage Pregnancy, Warning: homophobia, daddy!castiel, daddy!dean, warning: bullying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-23
Updated: 2014-07-23
Packaged: 2018-02-10 01:30:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2005869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chef_Geekier/pseuds/Chef_Geekier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Young Sam and Dean have settled in a small town while John’s off on his latest hunt. As Dean takes on more of a fatherly role towards Sam, he also makes a strong connection with local outcast Castiel, son of prominent local businessman Lucifer and nephew to Chief of Police Raphael and Senator Michael. When their relationship becomes more intimate, Dean finds out that Castiel is an Eyrian, and there are several things about him that shouldn’t be possible. The wings are just the start of it. Together Dean, Castiel and Sam build their own family unit, and Dean’s not going to let anyone - be it school bullies, abusive family members, or even the attitude of his own father - tear them apart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Done for the 2014 SPN/J2 Big Bang. Lovely are by Truthismusic here: http://truthismusic.livejournal.com/17717.html

_“Sammy?” A voice called out softly. Sam backtracked from where he'd been heading to the kitchen, and poked his head into his little sister's room._

_“What's up, angel? Can't sleep?”_

_Green eyes – Dean's eyes, but in a softer face – stared back at him from the bed as Marie shook her head._

_“I had the nightmare again. It's scary.”_

_Sam quickly went over to his sister's bed and sat down, allowing her to curl into his side. The tiny girl was prone to night terrors, but just like Dean was stubborn about seeking help. She'd lap up any comfort that went to her, though, and Sam was always willing to give her as many cuddles as she wanted._

_“It's still pretty early,” Sam commented. “You want a story to help you go back to sleep?”_

_“Yeah,” Marie nodded firmly. “Need Blue Bunny first.”_

_With a smile, Sam quickly fetched Marie favourite toy from where it had fallen off the end of the bed and returned it to her. They curled up together, Sam providing a shield from the world._

_“What story do you want?”_

_Marie thought for a moment before responding._

_“Tell me about how my parents met.”_

_Sam smiled. That was one of his favourites too. Just as he was about to start, Dean came in and sat on the end of the bed as well. He handed over mugs of hot chocolate, and Sam realised he must have overheard them before._

_“Go on,” Dean grinned at him. “Tell us a story.”_

_“Once upon a time...”_

_“Dude, it wasn't a fairy tale.”_

_“It was if I say it was. Stop interrupting.”_

_“Whatever.”_

_“As I was saying... once upon a time, there were two young boys who were looking for their father. He hunted monsters, and the two were worried when he stopped calling them. The elder decided, when they were low on money, to settle down in one place for a while. It would give them time to enjoy just being brothers, and for the pair to have some uninterrupted schooling...”_

~*~  
Part One  
~*~

Dean smiled as he watched Sam running around the back yard, kicking a soccer ball. It was a hobby that Dean did his best to encourage, since it made the boy happy and helped him to make friends. The pair were staying in a mid-sized town for now, having run out of money to keep going after John had disappeared. A part of Dean actually hoped that their father would stay gone, since Sam seemed so excited at the prospect of staying in one town for the rest of the school year. He hadn't really told Sam that John was missing, since he wasn't sure what the boy's reaction would be, and they were both enjoying the prospect of a proper family life. If only for a few months until the school year ended and Dean could scrape together the funds to move on again.

“Dean!” Sam shouted then, drawing Dean out of his musing. “C'mon, play with me!”

“Sorry kiddo,” Dean glanced down at his watch. “We gotta head to school soon. Don't want to draw attention on the first day.”

“Okay!”

Dean couldn't keep the fond smile off of his face, not here where there was no one but Sam to see. Sam was the only twelve year old he knew who actually enjoyed school. Still, it meant that neither of them ever got in trouble for not doing school work, since Sam would lecture Dean until he did his homework and helped Sam with his.

The short walk to school was spent with Sam babbling a mile a minute about how he hoped that they'd be studying the same book as at the last school because he was enjoying it, and things like that.

Dean just nodded in the appropriate places, now and then adding a comment to show he wasn't ignoring his brother. He also made a mental note to check out the high school library and see if there were any books that Sam would like. It wasn't like Dean would need to get any for himself – between laying low at school and finding some way of making money to keep them going, he wasn't going to have a whole lot of free time. That thought just depressed him, and Dean tried to shake off the dread of having to find a job. He certainly wasn't looking forward to that.

They arrived at the elementary school where Dean had enrolled his brother the previous week and slowed. His grip on Sam tightened just a little as he surveyed the large amount of people coming and going, people who might try to take Sam away or hurt him.

“I'll be fine,” Sam rolled his eyes, not quite getting the root of Dean's unease. “You always act like we've never been to a new school before, or transferred most of the way through the year.”

“If you say so,” Dean reluctantly let his arm slip from around Sam's shoulders. “You'll meet me out front after school, right? No dawdling.”

“Yes Dad,” Sam laughed and ducked the half-hearted swipe Dean sent him, then headed in.

Dean sighed as he left Sam at the gate before he continued on down the street to the High School building. He couldn't help the unease that always filled him when Sam was out of his sight for more than five minutes, even if he knew his little brother would be fine. The runt loved school and knew how to keep out of trouble. Even better, he knew how to protect himself if trouble found him.

Meanwhile, Dean really didn't see the point in school. He was going to be a hunter like his dad, he didn't need a formal education. Sam, though, was going to go further. All the way to college if Dean had any say in it, no matter what their dad thought about it splitting the family up. The man couldn't really talk when he was the one always disappearing. Sam was really smart, stubborn as hell, and could do anything if he really went for it. It made Dean really proud, even if he did tease Sam for being a bit of a geek.

By the time he wandered into the high school building it was mere seconds before the bell for home class rang, but he didn't bother speeding up. Instead he took his time, eyes passing over the rest of the students to see if any were worth taking the time to pursue. There were a few pretty girls who knew nothing of his reputation, and Dean decided that being here might not be so bad after all.

~*~

“Hi there,” came a voice from behind. Sam turned and smiled at the pretty blonde girl. “My name's Ruby. You're new, you want to sit with me at lunch? Get to know the school a bit?”

“Sure,” Sam nodded. He'd noticed Ruby in his classes, and how the other kids seemed to follow her lead. If for some strange reason she wanted to hang out with him, no way was Sam going to turn her down.

“C'mon,” Ruby tilted her head, indicating down the hall. “Lunchroom's this way. You're going to want to get there as early as you can to get the decent food.”

“I don't need to buy any,” Sam trotted along beside Ruby. He was only about half an inch taller than her, which was kind of annoying, but at least he wasn't the shortest in the class this time. “My big brother makes my lunch every day.”

“Really?” Ruby asked, one eyebrow raising. “You get along with your brother?”

“Yeah, he's awesome,” Sam grinned. “He's a great cook, and he makes the best lunches. Comes up with all sorts of weird things that always taste good.”

“Wow,” Ruby looked really impressed. “That does sound cool. My brother's a real loser.”

“Dean's always taken care of me. Our mom's dead, and our dad's not around much. He's always off working.” It occurred to Sam that he really shouldn't be giving so much away in the first conversation, but there was something about Ruby that made him want to talk, want to impress her.

“My dad always gives me what I want,” Ruby shrugged. “I think he feels bad about divorcing my mom.”

They continued their chatter into the cafeteria, and Sam held Ruby's bag while she bought her lunch. When they were both seated, Sam pulled out the brown bag Dean always put his lunch in, and couldn't help the smile on his face.

“What have you got?” Ruby asked, and Sam pulled out the items.

“Marshmallow sandwich, an apple, and a brownie bar,” Sam said proudly. “It's almost like a tradition. Whenever we switch schools, he makes sure I have an awesome lunch on the first day. Just in case I need a pick me up.”

“That's so cool,” Ruby smiled at him, and Sam's heart gave a funny little flutter. “So... we're going to be friends, aren't we Sam?”

“Sure,” Sam nodded. “I'd like that.”

~*~

On the way to the cafeteria for lunch, Dean walked with some members of the football team. While he wasn't interested in joining, it was handy to be associated with the cool kids. Usually meant that the other kids left him alone or idolised him, and made it that much easier to score with the cheerleaders.

At least, Dean thought it was good to be 'one of the gang', until he heard one of the group call out to someone else.

“Hey faggot! Quit spreading your queerness, we're trying to walk!”

Dean looked over and saw a boy a little shorter and younger than himself with scruffy dark hair leaning back against a row of lockers. The boy's stance looked bored and unimpressed, but Dean saw the slight shine of pain in bright blue eyes.

“Trying?” The boy tilted his head to one side like a curious puppy. “Don't tell me you still haven't mastered it. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other, you'll learn eventually.”

Dean grinned at the kid. He always enjoyed talking to someone who could hold their own.

“Whatever, fag,” Dean's acquaintance glared, and Dean suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable. Did he really want to hang out with these guys, who picked on a younger boy?

“Ignore them,” another boy – Josh, he thought – told Dean. “Castiel's weird. Keeps to himself a lot. Probably thinks he's better than the rest of us, 'cause his family's mega-rich. His uncle's Michael Angelou, some sort of fancy politician always flying off to Washington. His dad owns a few different companies that employ most of the people in town, and his other uncle's head of the police force.”

“Really?” Dean asked. Something seemed off. Surely if Castiel was an arrogant dick, then he'd dress up and flaunt it. Instead, his clothes were almost as worn as Dean's own, and the boy seemed to be trying to avoid notice. Not to mention that little flash of pain that had shone through, despite clear practice at hiding his feelings.

Glancing back, Dean's gaze caught Castiel's, and it felt as though he was captivated. There was something there, something worth pursuing.

Dean had found his distraction for the stay in town.

~*~

“These ones Dean? Please?”

Dean grinned indulgently as Sam held up a bundle of sheets. They were in the local thrift shop, trying to find the various things that the apartment was still missing, and Sam had found a sheet set for his bed.

“Star Wars? You're sure?”

“Please!” Sam's eyes were wide, and Dean internally gave in straight away. Didn't mean he had to tell Sam that. “It's Han and Chewy! They're awesome!”

“Weeeell...”

“C'mon Dean!”

“Yeah, all right,” Dean couldn't keep up the pretence, never could where Sam was involved. “Give 'em here.”

“Thanks!” Sam launched himself at Dean and hugged him, making Dean laugh a little. “You're the best.”

“I know,” Dean hugged back, then gently pushed Sam in the direction of the clothes. “Go find a jacket, that one's way too thin.”

“Okay,” Sam hurried off, not looking back.

Dean sighed and checked the price on the sheets. They weren't as expensive as he'd feared, but were still more than he really wanted to pay out. If it made Sam happy though, Dean would figure out a way to make their money stretch a bit more. Besides, the kid needed sheets on the bed.

“Can I help you dear?” An elderly woman spoke then, and Dean looked up to give her his most charming smile.

“Just getting some supplies,” he spoke politely. It was always worth minding his manners in these places, since the women might cut him a deal if he was pleasant.

“Taking care of your brother are you? That's nice,” the woman smiled. She was a little shorter than Dean was, and clearly quite old. “I wish my grandson was as nice. He's always picking on his little sister, never helps out around the place. I've been asking him to do the yard work for weeks, it's still a tip.”

Dean's ears pricked up at that, and he turned more fully towards her.

“Do you need some help around the house?” he asked, trying not to sound too pushy. “I'm trying to find some work, I'd be happy to do any odd jobs you've got.”

“Oh, that would be lovely!” The woman smiled widely. “My name's Doris, I'm not sure I can pay you much, but if you're willing I have some friends who need some odd jobs done as well. When you get to my age, it's difficult to keep a house running properly by yourself.”

“That's okay by me,” Dean nodded. “I'll need to do things after school or on weekends.”

“Of course dear,” Doris took Dean's arm and they walked over to the counter. “Feel free to bring your brother with you, he can do his homework inside if you like.”

As they worked out the details, Dean felt the weight on his shoulders starting to lift. It wasn't much, but it was a start, and at least he'd still be able to keep an eye on Sam in the afternoons while working.

~*~

Castiel flinched as he slipped in through the kitchen door, listening to the voices shouting somewhere down the hall. Things were bad enough when it was just him and his father, but when his uncles were around everything was so much worse. He listened for a moment, pinning down where the argument was taking place, and planned his route to his room accordingly. If he went up the old servants' stairs at the back of the house, he could reach the attic without going near the formal dining room where he could hear his uncle Michael shouting about an unreasonable price. He guessed that it was something to do with the latest company his father had bought out.

A few steps into the main entrance hall, however, Castiel felt a hand land on the back of his neck, and he was dragged into the dining room by his uncle Raphael. Castiel tried to smother the thought that the sadistic prick had been waiting for him so that he had something to unleash his anger on.

“Little shit, sneaking around all the time,” Raphael growled, and Castiel tried to suppress the shudder that went through him. “Thought I taught you better than that last time!”

Castiel glanced over at his father, trying to plead for mercy with his eyes, wishing that just this once the man would do right by his only son.

Lucifer just smiled as the first pained cry left Castiel's lips.


	2. Chapter 2

~*~  
Part Two  
~*~

Dean looked twice when he saw Castiel at school the next day. The boy looked like he was in some serious pain, moving slowly and hunching in on himself, seemingly avoiding all contact. He was limping slightly and his left arm was underneath his sweater, looking like it was in a sling of some sort. Given the odd positioning however, Dean would bet money on the kid's shoulder being dislocated.

Dean felt a fire of protectiveness flare up inside him. For some reason seeing Castiel beaten and broken really pissed him off. If he ever came face to face with whoever did this, there would be some serious consequences. At the very least he'd pop the asshole's shoulder out himself, just to see how the fucker liked it. He was a little surprised by how intense the desire to keep an unrelated boy safe was, but decided not to think about it too much.

Instead, Dean walked over and leaned against the locker next to where Castiel was slowly changing his books. The boy tensed at his approach, and Dean's suspicions were confirmed.

“You need help getting your shoulder back in place?” Castiel looked up, eyes wide in fear, and Dean did his best to look non-threatening. “Easy. Not gonna hurt you. I just know how to fix a dislocated shoulder. Besides if I can tell, so will one of the teachers, and then you'd really be in trouble.”

“How do you know? How... how can you fix it?” Castiel spoke in a low tone, his head tilted to one side, making him look like an adorable puppy that had been kicked. Dean tried to shake that image out of his mind.

“You're not the only one to have a shitty family life,” Dean shrugged, not meeting Castiel's gaze. He knew that he was insinuating that his dad beat them up, but he could hardly say that they all needed various first aid after a run-in with a particularly violent poltergeist.

Castiel stared at him a beat longer, then dropped his eyes. Dean thought he could see a hint of shame on the boy's face.

“I... I fell off my bicycle...”

“Save the bullshit,” Dean waved him off. “You can't tell me the truth, and it's not real important anyway. Right now is about damage control and stopping that from hurting like a son of a bitch. Skip first period and meet me out back of the library.”

With that, Dean pushed off from the locker. He made his way down the hallway, fighting the urge to check and see if Castiel was following him. One of the first rules of hunting was to know your ground, so the first day in town Dean had cased both his and Sam's schools. The garden behind the library was most likely to be give them some privacy at this time of day, and if they sat on the ground they would be out of sight from any of the buildings. He wasn't waiting long before Castiel appeared, still looking like a skittish wild animal.

“C'mere,” Dean gestured as he sat down, legs splayed in a 'v' shape and patted the ground between them. Castiel gently sank to the ground, his back to Dean's chest. “Bundle up your coat and bite into it. This is gonna hurt like a bitch, but then it'll be better.”

He gave Castiel a moment to follow his instructions, then wrapped his arms around the younger boy's chest. It felt surprisingly good to hold him like this, even if Castiel did tense up completely as soon as he was touched, and Dean gave them both a moment to just sit.

Then he moved quickly, the ball and socket snapping back into place easily as a pained grunt escaped. Dean was a little impressed – for that to be the only reaction, Castiel had to have a pretty high tolerance for pain.

Until, that is, he considered how Castiel would have _learned_ to have high pain tolerance. Then he was mad all over again. He continued to hold Castiel, rubbing up and down the boy's arms and rocking slightly as he hummed softly. It was something he'd done countless times to Sam, whenever his little brother was upset or ill. For some reason, it just seemed second nature to treat Castiel the same way.

After a few minutes, Castiel seemed to go boneless, leaning back into Dean's touch and breathing easier. Without stopping to think about it, Dean pressed a brief kiss to the crown of his head. He felt Castiel start to tense up, but quickly spoke over the awkward moment.

“My little brother and I are staying over on 1245 Hodge Street, apartment seven. You ever need somewhere to lay low, we'll watch out for you.”

“...Okay,” Castiel whispered. Dean wasn't sure if it was his imagination or not, but Castiel seemed to almost snuggle backwards. While he always maintained that he wasn't a snuggler, it seemed appropriate right now. So instead of trying to get to class, the pair sat on the ground behind the library for the entirety of first period.

~*~

Dean was distracted during his Spanish class a few days later. His mind kept wandering back to Castiel, wondering how he could help the boy.

“Hey,” a soft voice beside him spoke. “Do you know the answer to this one?”

Turning a little, Dean took in the girl sitting to his left. She was pretty, but for some reason didn't pique his interest. He glanced at the question she was pointing to, and shook his head.

“Nope. Spanish is all Greek to me.”

The girl blinked in confusion, and Dean turned back to his own book – though he didn't bother trying to concentrate on it. He was too busy wondering if Castiel was going to be okay, or if he should try to kidnap the boy.

~*~

Sam watched as Dean moved around the kitchen making dinner. Out of necessity Dean had become pretty good at cooking filling meals, and sometimes Sam hated their father for that.

Right now he was putting a stew together to keep them fed for a few days, but Sam could tell that something was distracting his brother.

“Shit!” Dean muttered, pulling his hand back from where he'd nearly burned himself, and Sam decided to try talking to him.

“What's up Dean? You never hurt yourself in the kitchen.”

“I, ah...” Dean glanced over, then shrugged and let out a sheepish grin. “Just worried about this kid at school. Castiel. His family's beating him up, I reset a dislocated shoulder for him the other day. I dunno how he's still with 'em.”

Sam was immediately outraged on behalf of Castiel, even if he'd never met the boy.

“That's so not right! Can we kidnap him and take him somewhere safe? No one'll notice we're not here any more.”

“Nah, not right now,” Dean let out a laugh, which calmed Sam a little. “I told him that we're here though, if he needs to escape.”

“Good,” Sam nodded emphatically. “We'd take care of him, wouldn't we?”

“You bet.” Dean looked a little happier as he started cutting up vegetables, and Sam relaxed more as his brother did the same.

That night, neither of them drew attention to the fact that Sam got straight into bed with Dean, not even pretending to sleep in his own bed. They both needed the reassurance that the other was there and safe.

~*~

The next day, Dean spotted Castiel in the halls. The boy was still hunched in on himself, but didn't seem to have any new injuries. That was good. Dean started to wonder if maybe he should start slipping Castiel some of the extra-strong painkillers that he kept in the Impala's first aid box.

Castiel looked up then, and met Dean's eyes. Dean smiled and nodded slightly, but Castiel just flushed and looked away. That made Dean frown, wondering why the boy would be so wary of him. Hadn't he already proven that he wanted to help?

Pondering the Castiel situation, Dean made his way to his class. He knew that he wasn't going to learn much being so distracted, but at least he was turning up.

~*~

Dean was watching Castiel across the cafeteria. The boy was sitting alone, as usual, hunched in on himself as he ate. The boys around Dean were all being their usual loud selves, but one elbowed him in the side.

“Hey, you watching Castiel for something?”

“Just curious,” Dean shrugged.

“Yeah, well, I wouldn't try anything,” Josh warned. “He can hold his own verbally, even he's a bit of an oddball. And don't try fighting him.”

“Why not?”

“Well, he won't start a fight if he can help it, but he's got a mean right hook. When he needs to, he fights like a wild animal.”

“Huh.” Dean looked across the room again, and noticed that Castiel was looking over. He raised an eyebrow, and Castiel looked away immediately. Dean smirked to himself, then turned back to his lunch. It was something to consider, though. If Castiel was so good at fighting, why was he getting beaten up at home? If he could stand up to bullies, what was it stopping him from standing up to his family or getting help?

~*~

There was shouting downstairs again. Castiel opened the door a crack to find out what it was, but could only hear his father's voice. So he was probably on the phone, and it probably didn't have anything to do with him.

Castiel closed the door and went back to sitting on his bed, trying to finish his homework. It was difficult, since he really didn't understand science very well, but there wasn't much he could do about it. He had no idea who he could ask for help, not even his teachers.

His mind briefly flicked to Dean, the odd older boy who kept talking to him, but he quickly discarded the idea. Dean was probably just trying to get close to him so that he could... Castiel couldn't finish the thought. He just didn't think that Dean was that sort of person.

It took about an hour before Castiel thought he'd done a good enough job. He sighed in relief, then pulled his math book out. He was good at math, numbers made so much more sense to him.

~*~

“Hey Castiel,” Dean spoke as he leaned against the locker. Castiel seemed to jump a little and looked up, eyes wide with apprehension. “I hear you're good in a fight. I'm a little out of practice, you wanna spar some time?”

“I...” Castiel looked completely thrown. “I have no formal training. I just... do what it takes.”

“Yeah,” Dean nodded. “That's what most fighting is.” He shrugged and grinned, knowing he needed to get to class soon. “Well, you ever want to practice let me know. I'm getting out of shape here.”

Castiel's eyes glanced down then, over Dean's chest and shoulders, and Dean couldn't keep the grin off his face. Then Castiel looked up again, and blushed.

“O... okay...” he stammered out. Dean reached out and tousled his hair, before heading to class.

~*~

Castiel watched Dean walk away, confused. He could still feel the heat of his face, and his heart was beating hard. It almost felt like his scalp was tingling where Dean had touched him. He wasn't sure what was going on, if maybe something was wrong with him.

“Stupid fag,” someone muttered as they walked past, and Castiel turned back to his locker. It wasn't until he'd swapped over his books that he wondered if that was it. Maybe he was actually gay. Maybe he had a crush on Dean.

After a pause, he sighed and continued on. It wasn't like anything was going to happen. What could Dean possibly see in him in return? Dean was kind, handsome, and strong. Castiel... well, he was a useless freak.

No way would anyone in high school want him.

~*~

On the next Thursday evening, Sam was a little distracted as he ate his dinner. There was something he really wanted to ask, but wasn't sure if Dean would allow it. Dad never did, but Dean was better than Dad, so maybe...

“What's on your mind, Sammy?” Dean spoke up, and Sam glanced at him. “I can hear the wheels churning from over here. Spit it out.”

“Well, I was wondering... can I bring someone home tomorrow? To hang out for a while? Please?”

“Don't see why not,” Dean shrugged, and Sam grinned at him. “Got someone in mind?”

“Yeah, Ruby,” Sam blushed a little as he dropped his head to look at his dinner. “She's really pretty, and she said it's cool how it's just us.”

“I see. You're starting to like girls!” Dean was smirking at him, Sam just knew it. “Aw, little Sammy's growing up so fast!”

“Oh shut up,” Sam tried to glare at his brother. “At least I've got someone to bring home. You're too busy pining over Castiel to chase the girls around.”

“Pining?” Dean spluttered, and Sam counted that as a point for himself. “Dude, I'm not pining over anyone!”

“Yes you are,” Sam didn't bother trying to keep the smug tone out of his voice. “You wanna date Castiel.”

“In case you hadn't noticed,” Dean retorted, “Cas and I are both boys.”

“So? You've kissed boys before.”

“How did you know?” Dean sounded surprised, and Sam looked up to see his brother staring at him in shock.

“C'mon Dean, I learned to fake sleep years ago,” Sam rolled his eyes. “You were the one who taught me to, remember? There was that boy, Chad, the one who you then punched for teasing me. And you were making out with Chris when you were meant to be keeping an eye on me at the arcade a few months back. And you flirted with the soccer coach to let me try out for the team when we moved schools before that...”

“Damn,” Dean sounded a little impressed. “You keep better track of my partners than I do.”

“Yeah,” Sam shrugged. “That's how I know you want to do the same with Castiel.”

“Fine,” Dean gave in. “You invite your little friend Ruby, and I'll invite Cas to come over too. No way is my little brother going to get some before I do.”

“You realise you sound like a douche, right?” Sam pointed out as Dean started to clear the table. His brother laughed and shrugged.

“Yeah, but you know what I meant.”

~*~

“Hey, Cas,” Dean started as he leaned against the locker next to Castiel's on Friday afternoon. “My little brother's bringing one of his friends home tonight. You wanna come hang out, save me from the ankle-biters?”

Castiel looked back, blinking slowly, and for a moment Dean wondered if he'd said something wrong.

“You called me Cas,” the boy sounded puzzled.

“Well, yeah,” Dean shrugged. “Castiel's a bit of a mouthful. Cas is easier. You mind?”

“No,” Castiel shook his head a little, the corners of his mouth tilting up slightly in a shy smile. “I like it.”

“Good. So, hanging out tonight?”

“I would enjoy that.”

The boys walked out of the building together, Dean easily ignoring the curious looks. He did his best to engage Castiel in conversation, though it wasn't easy. Apparently Castiel was a rather literal person.

“Hey Sammy!” Dean shouted when he saw his brother standing with a slim blond girl. He couldn't help the grin that formed – Sam was already following in his footsteps, scoring the hottest chicks.

“Hey Dean,” Sam grinned back at him. “This is Ruby.”

“Ruby. Right,” Dean nodded. He kept the thought that it was a stripper's name to himself. “This is... uh, guys?” It was then that he noticed Ruby glaring at Cas. Castiel was staring at the ground, seeming to shrink in on himself.

“That's Castiel,” Ruby spat. “Best not get too close, he'll turn you into a freak too.”

“What?” Dean snapped. It was bad enough that everyone at school seemed to treat Cas as an outcast, but for a girl from primary school to do so as well?

“She is my little sister,” Dean heard Castiel whisper. “I'll... I'll leave you in peace.”

“Hey, wait,” Dean tried to protest.

“Good,” Ruby turned her nose up, and Dean was struck with the sudden urge to drop-kick a twelve-year-old girl.

“Ruby?” Sam spoke up then. “You're not my best friend any more. You're a bitch.”

Dean mentally cheered his little brother, and smiled at him in approval. While the blond girl stared in shock, Sam came over and took Dean and Castiel's hands in his own, so that he was between them, and started walking home. Castiel was pulled along without being given a chance to protest, which suited Dean just fine.

“We started reading The Loner today in English,” Sam started nattering on about school, just like usual. “That's the one we were reading in that school at the start of the year, I'm glad I'll get to finish it.”

“Cool,” Dean nodded. “You have enough at lunch? Or do we need to stop off at the supermarket?”

“I had enough,” Sam confirmed absently before taking off again. “Oh, and we played dodgeball. It was easy, I won.”

“That's my boy!” Dean allowed the pride to slip into his tone. He glanced across at Castiel, who was still shooting them both puzzled looks, though he did seem grateful for not being cast away.

~*~

Sam made a frustrated sound as he erased his answer yet again. He was trying to do his math homework now so that he wouldn't worry about it later in the weekend, but he was having trouble. Part of the problem with moving schools so much.

“Do you need some help?” A soft voice asked, and Sam looked up. Castiel was standing on the other side of the table, looking nervous. Sam grinned and kicked out the chair beside him.

“Thanks. Math is hard, and Dean never pays much attention to it, so he's no good at explaining it.”

Castiel seemed a little awkward as he sat down and looked over what Sam had written, but as the time went on he relaxed. Sam found that it was easy to listen to his voice, that Castiel was a natural teacher, and by the time they'd gone through all the problems Sam was sure he understood better.

“I am glad I could help,” Castiel looked down. “I wished to apologise.”

“What for?” Sam asked, scrunching up his forehead as he thought.

“I made you leave your friend. Things may not be easy for you now that you have refused her.”

“Forget her,” Sam shook his head. “Being your sister doesn't mean that it's okay for her to be mean to you. She sucks. So I don't want to be her friend.” He shrugged and got down from his chair. “Where's Dean? It's nearly time for dinner.”

As far as Sam was concerned, that was that.

~*~

Castiel couldn't believe the family he'd stumbled across. The only time he'd been this close to a family that loved each other was when he'd spent a summer with his uncle Gabriel and cousin Balthazar. Sure Balthazar was a trouble maker, always testing the limits on how far he could get away with stuff, but Gabriel never really got angry about it or punished him too much. Gabriel had even encouraged Castiel to act out a little and go along with Balthazar's schemes.

As soon as he'd gotten home, however, Raphael and Michael had taken it in turns to beat Castiel, making sure he knew that he wasn't welcome to stay with Gabriel any more. His father had warned him not to try to bother his cousin with phone calls or anything. After that, there had always been some excuse as to why he couldn't visit, and Gabriel never visited him either. Just another family member who got his hopes up before ignoring him.

Dean and Sam, however... something about their dynamic both soothed and called to Castiel. Dean acted like the good fathers that Castiel had read about in books, taking care of Sam and making sure he was safe and happy. Sam, meanwhile, didn't act out or talk back. Well, not too much, anyway. There was a steady back-and-forth flow between the brothers, something that Castiel wished he could have with someone.

~*~

Dean listened as Castiel finished explaining the math problems to Sam, and felt his crush growing stronger as the two interacted easily. There was just something about Cas that drew Dean in, kept him off balance but made him want to protect Cas anyway.

So maybe Sam was right, and Dean was pining after Cas... that was going to change tonight. Dean was determined to actually do something about it, and at least kiss Castiel.

“You staying for dinner?” Dean asked as he stepped into the kitchen where Sam had been doing his homework. “I'm making pasta.”

“Cool!” Sam grinned widely. “Cas, you gotta stay. His cooking's awesome.”

“If that is all right,” Castiel looked nervous. “I do not wish to intrude.”

“You're not intruding,” Dean shook his head as he started getting out the ingredients. “Anyway, it's not like it's a hard meal to make. I just use sauce from the store, no way I've got time to make my own.”

“Very well,” Cas nodded. “I shall call home and let them know.” He left the room, and Sam ran over to give Dean a hug.

“What was that for?” Dean asked, though he naturally hugged back.

“For making him stay,” Sam replied. “I like him. You'll be nice to him, right? Be his boyfriend and not just bail on him?”

“Of course I'll treat him right,” Dean squeezed Sam back before turning to the oven. “He gets under your skin pretty quick.”

“And you like having him there, right?”

“Sure do.”

~*~

“C'mon Sammy,” Dean was smiling as he half-carried his brother away from the couch. “Time for bed.”

“But I'm not tired...”

“Yes you are. If I let you go you'd fall over.”

At that, Sam clutched tighter to Dean.

“No! Don't let me fall.”

“Never, baby boy,” Dean said softly as they left the room. Castiel felt his heart ache and he wished fervently that someone would take care of him like that. Knowing that it was unlikely to happen – at least not until he was old enough to leave for college and find a partner – he turned back to the movie.

On the screen, the couple were starting to get hot and heavy, and Castiel shifted a little. He was partly fascinated, never having been allowed to watch anything like this, and part embarrassed by how his body was reacting. What was he supposed to do when Dean came back and sat next to him?

The question was answered a few minutes later when Dean flopped back onto the couch, sprawling out to cover most of the available space. The couple on the television were falling down onto the bed, and Castiel just knew that he was blushing furiously as Dean's head bumped against his shoulder.

“Hey Cas,” Dean asked, chin resting on Castiel's shoulder. “How old are you, anyway?”

“Fourteen,” Castiel whispered. “Though I shall be fifteen at the end of the month.”

“Cool,” Dean nodded then, raising one hand to cup Castiel's cheek. “You ever done this before?”

“Done what?” Castiel tilted his head to one side, not understanding what Dean was getting at. He realised just how close Dean's face was as the older boy huffed out a laugh, breath drifting over Castiel's face.

“This,” Dean whispered just before kissing him.

Castiel felt his mind go blank.

~*~

Dean had his answer when Castiel froze up, not pushing him away but clearly not having any idea as to how to proceed. So Dean did his best to show the boy, and gradually felt Cas melt into him, pressing back, hands coming up to rest on Dean's forearms. Cas was a quick learner, and soon Dean was able to deepen the kiss as he wrapped his arms properly around the younger boy.

As he dragged Cas closer, Dean could feel his arousal hadn't diminished at all, and couldn't resist rubbing his leg against Castiel's crotch.

At that, however, Cas froze again for a moment, then started pulling away.

“Hey, sorry,” Dean tried to calm him down. “Too fast?”

“Let me go,” Castiel was shaking now, nearly panicking, and Dean's instinct was to hold him closer. “Please Dean, you have to–”

There was movement then on Castiel's back, and Dean let go in surprise. Cas jumped backwards, stumbling a little as he tried to flee, though he barely made it five steps before he fell to his knees with a pained cry, something ripping his shirt open from the back.

Dean gaped for a second as enormous black wings burst through Castiel's skin, then leapt forward and tackled Cas to the ground. He was about to lay into the creature, when he realised Castiel was trembling, eyes screwed shut as he tried to make himself smaller – and he wasn't fighting Dean. The fear evident in the winged boy was enough to get through the first 'It's a monster' rage, and allowed Dean to properly process what he was seeing.

The wings were each about as large as Castiel himself, mostly black with a few dark grey feathers mixed in. Despite the colouring, they didn't look like typical monster appendages. If anything, Castiel looked like what he'd imagined angels to be when he was a child. A few things seemed to click into place, and Dean loosened his grip a little, instead holding himself above Castiel.

“Is this why they beat you up?” He asked, trying to keep his voice soft. “Because of these?”

A frightened, whimpering sound left Castiel's throat, and Dean's heart melted. He couldn't stand seeing anyone so afraid. Dean made soft, soothing noises of his own as he nuzzled against Castiel's hair, his hand coming up to stroke the feathers of one wing. It was so soft, Dean immediately thought of sleeping with one of the wings covering him.

“Talk to me Cas,” Dean spoke again, fingers carding through the dark feathers. “Do your family beat you because you have wings?”

“...No,” Castiel whispered back, finally talking but still trembling. “We, my father... we are Eyrians. It's genetic.”

“Huh. Never heard of Eyrians.” Dean dug his fingers in a little harder, and to his surprise Castiel suddenly arched underneath him.

“Ah,” Castiel couldn't seem to stop the gasp that slipped out of him. Dean paused, then dug his fingers in again, and grinned to himself when Castiel arched up again, clearly aroused again despite the fear. He backed off a little, wanting to get the whole story before they went any further.

“C'mon babe, talk to me,” he spoke against the side of Castiel's neck, both comforting and coaxing.

“My father...” Castiel's wings fluttered, apparently trying to get closer to Dean again. So Dean gently stroked the wings as Castiel spoke. “My father is Lucifer Angelou. He had a good marriage, but his wife was human, and she only had two human daughters. Meg and Ruby. Father had an affair with another Eyrian.” Cas fell silent for a moment, and Dean realised that flat on his back probably wasn't a very comfortable position.

Instead, Dean pushed up to sit back on his heels, and pulled Cas up to sit on his lap. They were still pressed together, and Dean alternated between stroking Castiel's wings and back, waiting for him to start speaking again.

“Mother left me at the police station when I was a fledgeling,” Castiel continued after a few minutes. “I believe that is why my wings are black, and still do not always obey my wishes. Because my egg was not properly cared for, and as a hatchling I was not properly nurtured. My arrival destroyed my father's marriage. Lilith divorced him, and took Meg to live with her because she couldn't stand me, I am abnormal and bring too much wrong attention, and it's all my fault...” Cas trailed off in a whimper, sounding close to tears.

“No it's not,” Dean asserted, fighting down the fury at the whole Angelou family. “You're gorgeous, babe.” An idea crossed his mind, and Dean started massaging Castiel's wings, slowly digging in harder as he breathed praises against Castiel's skin between gentle kisses. “Your eyes are absolutely beautiful, skin so clear and soft. You're stronger than you look, not too muscled or anything. Sure you could do with some more meat on your bones, but stick with us and I'll make sure you're fed properly.” As he spoke and continued his caresses, Dean noticed that Cas was breathing faster. The younger boy's hands came up to clutch at Dean's shoulders, keeping him close which was fine with Dean. “And your wings are fucking gorgeous, soft and strong, I'd love to spend all night wrapped up in 'em.”

With a final biting kiss to Castiel's neck, the dark wings briefly furled in before shooting back out, Cas' head tilting back as a loud cry left his lips.

Surprised, Dean held Cas as the boy trembled for a whole new reason, Castiel panting as he came down from the high of what was probably his first orgasm. The fact that it seemed to mostly come from Dean caressing his wings and speaking to him was something that Dean had a hard time wrapping his head around. So they stayed wrapped around each other as Castiel's breathing evened out.

“Dean?” A sleepy voice called then, and Dean glanced over at his little brother. “I heard a... woah, Cas, are you an angel?”

“Not quite,” Dean grinned as Sam ran over, eyes wide with wonder. Cas seemed to be trying to shrink in on himself, but Dean refused to let him.

“Your wings are so cool,” Sam said. “Can I touch them?”

Cas looked between the brothers for a moment, then shyly nodded.

“Be gentle,” Dean warned his brother. “They're pretty sensitive.”

“Okay.” Sam stroked carefully along the outer feathers, which didn't seem to get Cas worked up again. “Wow...”

“Happy now?” Dean grinned. Sam nodded, eyes still wide. “Good. Back to bed. We're busy.”

“What? Why are you... ew, Dean, are you being a pervert again?” Sam scrunched up his face in disgust. “Cas, if he's being too grabby just say so. Dean doesn't always think with the brain in his head.”

“Sammy! Beat it!”

Sam turned and huffed back to their room, though Dean spotted a small smile tugging at his mouth. Dean took a breath and met Castiel's eyes, wondering if the other boy understood the implications of Sam's outburst. But he just looked a little confused, and hopeful.

“Dean?” Cas tilted his head, and Dean wanted to kiss the confusion off his face. “Does this mean that... you want...”

“I want you,” Dean nodded and leaned in again. Castiel slumped in Dean's arms as they kissed, seemingly giving in to whatever Dean wanted.


	3. Chapter 3

~*~  
Part Three  
~*~

Castiel lay on his side in Dean's bed, feeling almost empty. It wasn't a physical sensation, though for much of the previous night Dean had kept him filled as Castiel was thoroughly ridden of his virginity, but more of an emotional ache. He'd barely known what he was doing the previous night, and wondered if he was really old enough. Dean had seem quite experienced, knowing just what to do and where to touch to drive Castiel insane with want, and he had to wonder whether the older boy just saw him as a conquest. Especially considering that he was now alone in the bedroom, having been woken up by what sounded like the Winchesters leaving.

More than anything, Castiel wished he had an adult he could talk to about things like this. It had felt good at the time, but now...

“Hey Cas!” Sam shouted, and a few seconds later Castiel felt a small body land on the bed. “Wake up, wake up, Dean's gone to get the stuff to make banana pancakes! Means he's in a really good mood, I don't normally get pancakes unless it's a special day.”

“Really?” Castiel asked as he slowly sat up. Sam seemed incredibly excited, crawling up the bed to sit with him. “I was unsure if maybe he would prefer me to leave...”

“Nah, if he wanted you gone he wouldn't have invited you here to begin with,” Sam shrugged. “He likes you. Like, more than like. He wants to keep you safe and kiss you all the time and do all that other stuff too. I think he wants to marry you or something.” The boy took a break to breath, but continued before Castiel could formulate a response. “Can two boys get married? Would you be a mom and a dad, or would you both be dads? Oh, if you're sticking around, you can ride up front in the Impala with Dean, I don't mind, I usually hafta sit in the back when Dad's here anyway.”

“I see.” Castiel was still stuck on the _'he wants to marry you'_ part, but he got the general gist of what Sam was saying.

Cas would be welcome in this family.

“Oh hey,” Sam started again, and Castiel realised that he wasn't likely to get many chances to respond. “Can I see your wings again? They're really neat. Dean doesn't believe in angels, but I do. I pray every night, even if it's just in my head.”

Since he was still bare-chested, Castiel nodded and closed his eyes, concentrating as he called forth his wings again. It took a lot of focus, and hurt a little as his bones and skin morphed, but soon the black appendages were curled around either side of Sam.

“That's so cool,” Sam was looking up in awe. “How strong are they? Like, can you fly with 'em?”

“I am not very skilled yet,” Castiel admitted. “They are currently a little too small for stable flight. They will grow when I reach adulthood. As for strength...” He curled them in a little tighter, and managed to lift Sam up, cradled in his feathers. “My wings are much stronger than my arms.”

“Awesome.”

After a few seconds, Castiel lowered Sam back to the bed. It was an awkward angle, and truthfully he wasn't very strong yet – but it was enough to impress a twelve year old boy.

“They're really pretty,” Sam stroked the feathers, fingers outlining some of the grey feathers. “How come some are different?”

“Because I am starting to enter maturity,” Castiel smiled softly. “I do not believe that they will ever be as pale as most Eyrians, however they will fade to a dark grey most likely.”

“Neat,” Sam moved closer, almost sitting in Castiel's lap. “So, are you going to stay with us? You helped me with my homework last night, and you make Dean happy.”

“You are certain that Dean wishes for me to remain?” He couldn't help asking. Never having been in this position, Castiel wasn't sure how things were supposed to work.

“I'm certain,” Dean spoke from the doorway then. “Sammy, go have your shower, okay? I gotta talk to Cas. I'll make your pancakes when you get out.”

“Okay,” Sam grabbed some clothes and happily disappeared.

“Kid's a bit of a motor mouth at times,” Dean grinned, “but he's smart. Now, what's got you so worried?”

“I just thought...” Castiel shifted, trying to work out what he'd feared. “I was unsure if you would wish to see me again. After I... 'gave it up to you' last night.” The phrase felt awkward on Castiel's tongue, but he continued anyway. “I was under the impression that it was customary for adolescent boys to ignore their conquests after the lust is consummated.”

“Big words are hard,” Dean complained right before tugging Castiel out of the bed by his arm. “Anyway, you're not a conquest. I don't do that shit. And I want you to stick around for as long as you possibly can. Maybe longer.”

With that, Dean lowered his head to kiss Castiel again, and the emptiness lifted a little.

~*~

After breakfast, when Sam was in the bedroom reading, Dean decided to take the opportunity to have a proper conversation with Cas. He figured there were a few things that they needed to get sorted out, and tugged the younger boy down onto the couch, almost onto his lap.

“So,” he started, running a hand across Castiel's back, “let's get the whole talking thing out of the way. You have wings, you're not really human.”

“No,” Cas shifted, seeming uncomfortable, and Dean leaned forward to kiss his temple. “Eyrians can interbreed with humans, though it is unsure as to whether the child will be human or not.”

“Okay. What about...” Dean paused, trying to find the right words for what he wanted to find out. “Your dad's a bastard. You're not. So Eyrians each have their own moral compasses? Like, you can be good or evil or neutral?”

“Yes,” Castiel nodded. “We are very much like humans, but we can call forth wings. I... I do not know very much about the differences, I am afraid. My father does not like to discuss things with me, and I do not have much of a chance to look at the books in his library.”

Dean nodded and pulled Cas close again. He just couldn't stand seeing Cas upset, and kissed him gently. They made out for a while, until Dean felt that Castiel was relaxed again.

“You're probably wondering why I didn't freak out more,” he started. Cas blinked for a moment, apparently dazed, then his face cleared a little.

“You have been quite... accommodating,” Cas nodded. Dean laughed, running his hand up and down Castiel's side.

“The truth is, my dad's a hunter. He raised me and Sammy to fight monsters.” He felt Cas tense up immediately, and quickly pressed kisses to his face. “Shh, it's okay. Not gonna hurt you. Dad's a bit... he's obsessed with the hunt, trying to find the monster that killed our mom. Me and Sam though, I'm trying to raise him better. We don't kill everything that's not a human, and he's not gonna stay in this life. I'll make sure he does something more.”

“You are very caring,” Castiel was pressing back now, clearly starting to come out of his shell again. “You do quite well raising your brother.”

Dean sighed in relief, pleased that Cas understood. He easily manoeuvred Castiel onto his back and covered him, slowly rubbing his leg against the smaller boy's groin.

“Ah! Dean, Sam is...”

“I know,” Dean smirked down, aligning them both better. “Best be quiet then.” He leant down and kissed Cas again as they rocked together, swallowing the delightful noises that he wanted to hear. Dean felt Castiel lift his legs and wrap them around his waist, not protesting in the slightest, and knew that he didn't want to leave Cas behind when they left.

~*~

About halfway through the next week, Dean sat down with Cas in the cafeteria. Cas looked up, eyes wide with both hope and fear.

“What... are you sure you want to sit here?” Castiel asked. Dean leaned back in his chair and shrugged.

“You okay with it? I'm not a fan of hiding.” They hadn't discussed what they were going to do at school, whether they would admit the thing between them, but Dean was sick of people picking on Cas. He figured that he could more easily protect Cas if everyone knew that they were... well, dating, he guessed.

“Yes,” Castiel's face softened, and Dean grinned. “If you are all right with your reputation as a lady's man being damaged, I am happy to be open about us.”

“Cool.” With that, Dean dug his packed lunch out of his bag and tipped it onto Castiel's lunch tray. “Time to compare edibility. Who's the better cook, me or the cafeteria?”

“You have already proven that,” Cas smiled, ducking his head a little.

Dean was about to respond, when he felt a presence behind him. He turned to see some of the guys from the football team, none looking happy. Internally he groaned, but externally just raised an eyebrow.

“Yes? Can I help you with something?” He asked in his most cocky voice. Out of the corner of his eye, Dean could see that Castiel was slowly edging around so that he could stand quickly if need be, and he approved of the move.

“Why are you sitting with that fag?” One of them asked. Dean looked back blankly for a moment, then stood up, holding himself like his father had taught him.

“Okay, first thing? Quit calling him a fag. It makes you look like a bunch of idiotic ass-holes. Second, I'm sitting with him because I'm dating him, and frankly I'm sick of you lot making his life difficult. Back off, we're both willing to fight you now.”

There was a split-second where the boys were frozen in shock, before the first punch was thrown. Dean easily blocked it and started fighting back, grinning as he did so. He kept glancing over at Castiel, who jumped into the fray alongside him, but the boy was handling himself well. The fact that the jocks had no idea how to really fight, especially not as a group, worked well for Dean and Castiel. There was a brief moment where the two were back to back, pressed against each other as they were surrounded, but it just served to fire them both up even more.

The fight lasted only a few minutes before teachers and older students broke it up. Without thinking, Dean turned and pulled Cas towards him, leaning down to kiss him. Castiel kissed back eagerly, high on adrenaline, while silence fell. They pulled apart after a moment, and Dean glared defiantly around at anyone who looked disapproving while his arm was still wrapped around Castiel's waist.

While he knew that there would be some fallout, Dean didn't really care. He was going to make Castiel's life better through whatever means he could, and the two things Dean was best at were fighting and flirting.

~*~

Dean glared down at the form in his hand. He was meant to go on an overnight trip to the next town for one of his classes, but that would mean leaving Sam on his own all night, which simply wasn't going to happen. What if Sam needed him? What if some sort of creature attacked?

“Hello Dean.”

He was pulled out of his musing by Castiel's low voice, and smiled in reflex as he turned.

“Hey Cas,” he responded, pulling his boyfriend in for a kiss. “Ready to head home?”

“Yes,” Cas nodded solemnly and easily fell into step beside him. After a while of walking in silence, something occurred to Dean and he smacked himself on the forehead. He couldn't believe how stupid he'd been.

“Dean?” Castiel enquired, head tilted and slight confusion on his face. “Is everything all right?”

“Yeah,” Dean grinned. “Just realised a solution for something. I need to go on an overnight trip next Thursday. Think you could stay with Sammy? Between the two of you, you should be able to protect yourselves if, y'know... something goes wrong.”

After a pause, Castiel nodded, and Dean sighed in relief.

“It would be an honour to be entrusted with Sam for the night.”

“You're awesome,” Dean kissed his temple as they arrived at the elementary school gates, where Sam was already waiting for them.

“Dean! Cas! Look!” Sam bounced on the balls of his feet, waving a piece of paper at them so fast that Dean couldn't tell what it was. “I got everything right on my math quiz!”

“Awesome!” Dean grabbed Sam in a hug, something he'd been doing a lot more of lately. “How did you manage that? You usually hate math.”

“Cas has been helping me with my homework. I understand it now!” Sam looked so excited about understanding something that he hadn't before, that Dean couldn't help but laugh.

“Well,” he chuckled, wrapping an arm around each of his boys as they started walking home, “you two make a pretty good team. Think you'll survive a night with just the two of you next week?”

“Are you going away?” Sam looked up, a slight tremor in his voice that Dean picked up on easily.

“Just for one night,” he quickly reassured his brother. “Stupid school requirement. But Cas'll stay with you, and when I get back we'll have a pizza party. That sound okay?”

“Okay,” Sam nodded, though he still sounded doubtful. “You'll be careful, won't you?”

“Of course. Not gonna leave you, baby boy. Promise.”

Sam nodded and snuggled in a little closer as they walked. Dean didn't mind, he knew exactly how Sam felt.

~*~

Castiel smiled as he stood in front of the microwave, waiting for the popcorn to pop. He'd already helped Sam with his homework, which wasn't difficult with such a smart child, so they were going to watch a movie together. Castiel knew that Sam was missing his brother, so was doing what he could to make the separation easier.

“Can we watch this one?” Sam asked, coming into the room. Castiel tilted his head to get a better look at the title, then nodded. “Thanks Cas!”

Shaking his head a little, Castiel turned back to the popcorn which was just starting to pop.

“It is not a hard choice,” he explained. “I doubt that Dean would leave anything here that he did not want you seeing.”

“It's not just that,” Sam scrambled up to sit on the counter. Without thinking, Castiel lifted him up, earning a smile. “I want you to enjoy it too.”

“I'm sure I will. I have not seen many movies, but I trust your judgement.”

They waited until the popcorn was finished, then Sam jumped down from the counter and fetched a bowl for it. As Castiel finished preparing the snacks Sam pulled two sodas from the fridge and went back to put on the tape.

Castiel joined him soon, and settled in for a relaxing two hours or so with Sam curled up by his side. Something about the whole situation felt right, as though this was how life was meant to be. The only thing missing was Dean, but they were okay without him for one night.

~*~

He was woken from a wonderful dream about Dean by a soft whimpering sound. For several moments Castiel didn't even realise what it was, until he opened his eyes and saw Sam shaking. He quickly climbed out of bed and moved over to the younger boy, putting a hand on his shoulder.

“Sam? What is wrong?”

Sam continued to shake and make pitiful noises without opening his eyes, and Castiel realised he must be having a nightmare. So he shook Sam's shoulder a little and called out a little louder.

“Sam! Wake up, it's just a dream. Open your eyes and look at me.” After a second, the boy did, and Castiel smiled down as comfortingly as he could. “Are you all right?”

“Cas,” Sam whispered, then threw himself into Castiel's arms. Castiel was taken by surprise, but he held on as Sam started crying. “It was horrible! All dark and scary and Dean wasn't there, I couldn't find him no matter how hard I looked, and I thought I could hear you but I couldn't find you either, and, and, and...” he trailed off into sobs, and Castiel was at a bit of a loss as to what to do. Having never been comforted after a nightmare, he didn't have a lot to base his actions on. So he tried to recall what people did in books, and started rocking back and forth.

“It's all right now,” he murmured. “I am here. Dean will return tomorrow, and you are safe here with me. I will not let you come to any harm.” He wasn't sure that he was all that good at this comforting thing, but slowly Sam's tears tapered off.

“Cas?” Sam asked in a quiet voice, and Castiel hummed in acknowledgement. “Could you... sleep here? In this bed?”

“Of course,” Castiel responded immediately, and the pair lay down again, this time with Sam cuddling right up to Castiel. “Is this what you want?”

“Yeah,” Sam nodded. “Um... d'you think you could... tell me a story? Something to help me get back to sleep?”

Castiel blinked, trying to think of a story he could tell a young boy. After a few seconds, he decided to just make something up.

“Once upon a time, there was a little girl with golden hair and wings. She was a curious child, always flying off and getting lost because she wanted to find new things...”

It didn't take long before Sam was breathing deeply, fast asleep again, and Castiel sighed in relief. He closed his eyes as well, waiting for sleep to claim him.

~*~

When Dean got home Friday afternoon, it was to see Sam and Cas sitting on the couch facing each other and playing cards. He grinned as they both looked up, both smiling at the same time.

“Dean!” Sam shouted, abandoning the cards and scrambling up to launch himself into Dean's arms. “You're back!”

“Of course I'm back,” Dean hugged his brother, laughing a little. “I said I would be. You two have fun by yourselves?”

“We were fine,” Sam spoke quickly – a little too quickly. Dean raised an eyebrow at Castiel, who shrugged.

“We managed all right,” Cas confirmed. “You were missed though.”

“Aw,” Dean released Sam and went to give his boyfriend a kiss. “You two are such saps.”

“Are you saying that you did not miss us?” Castiel asked. He seemed completely serious, though there was something in his eyes that suggested he was teasing Dean.

“Of course I did,” Dean admitted, pulling Cas up and hugging him, sneaking in a quick squeeze to Castiel's ass as he did so. “But I was by myself. You two had each other to cry to.”

“Stop being a jerk,” Sam cut in, pulling a face, and Dean knew that it had been worse than Sam was letting on. “You promised pizza.”

“That I did. Let's order.” Pizza was a good enough distraction. Later on, Dean would find out from Cas just how badly Sam had reacted to being left for the night, but for now he'd let Sam pretend everything was fine.


	4. Chapter 4

~*~  
Part Four  
~*~

Dean awoke to the always wonderful feeling of someone pressed against him. He opened his eyes and smiled, seeing Cas in his arms with wings extending over to where Sam was asleep, as though Cas was trying to protect the youngest boy. That was perfectly all right by Dean.

After a few minutes of just watching, Dean remembered what the day was, and started pressing gentle kisses to Castiel's skin.

“Mmmm,” Cas hummed as he started to wake up. Dean nipped a little at his shoulder then, drawing him further into wakefulness.

“Happy birthday,” he whispered, running a hand down Castiel's side before starting to grope him. It wasn't long before Cas was kissing him back properly, seeming quite happy with the events. After a few minutes of just enjoying each other's touch, Dean pulled back and smiled down at his boyfriend. “So, any requests for what to do today?”

“I do not mind,” Castiel responded, a little breathlessly. “I have not often had much reason to celebrate this day.”

“Hmph. That's going to change now,” Dean felt a rush of anger flow through him at the reminder of how badly Cas was treated. “I'll find a way to make this a really special day for you.”

“If you say so,” Castiel nodded. Dean pushed himself up and tugged Cas with him.

“C'mon. Let's go have a shower, let Sammy sleep.”

“Both of us shower at once?” Castiel asked, head tilting in that adorable way. “Won't that be awkward?”

“Not at all,” Dean leered at him. “I'm sure it's gonna be real fun.”

~*~

Castiel was still lax and sated when Dean ushered him onto the couch while he went to fix breakfast for everyone. Sam was on the floor, colouring something while he watched cartoons, and Castiel split his time between watching the boy and watching the television. He couldn't help it, his instincts were to watch out for Sam.

“Here we go,” Dean announced as he brought out a tray with a big plate of scrambled eggs, a bowl of fruit, and a pitcher of juice along with mismatched crockery. Castiel thought it was the best looking meal he'd ever been offered.

They ate together while _Rocco's Modern Life_ played on the television. Castiel had never watched cartoons before he started to spend time with Dean. It was something that he now enjoyed greatly, though he disliked the ones that trivialised violence.

Briefly, Castiel wondered whether any of his family remembered that today was his birthday. The few times that he'd been home over the past few weeks, he'd been completely ignored. It seemed that he was managing to avoid his uncles, and Lucifer seemed perfectly happy to pretend that he didn't exist when no one else was around.

To most people, Castiel supposed, it would be a miserable existence. Before Dean he'd just been surviving, taking each day at a time and looking forward to when he could escape. Now, he had somewhere safe he could hide from the horrible reality of a shitty family life. It was better than he could hope for, and he prayed every day that Dean would take him away when the Winchester brothers decided to move on.

“Hey Cas,” Sam piped up when the breakfast was almost gone, “are you and Dean doing anything special today?”

“I do not believe so,” Castiel shook his head. “I was unaware that either of you would wish to celebrate today. Also, we all have school. I suppose we may do something after.”

“Dean,” Sam turned to his brother, eyes wide and pleading, “you gotta make today special for him! Take Cas somewhere nice!”

“You're suggesting we skip school?” Dean raised an eyebrow, clearly teasing his younger brother. “Sammy, for shame!”

“Oh shut up Dean,” Sam pulled a face, making Castiel smile. “You take any excuse to skip anyway, at least today it's a good one.”

“True,” Dean nodded and glanced over at Castiel. “How about it, lover? Should we skip out and make today special?”

“That would be nice,” Castiel nodded in acquiescence. “I have no urgent assignments. Do you have any suggestions?”

“Well,” Dean started, sounding contemplative, “I do happen to know that they're screening all three _Indiana Jones_ movies not far away... We could all go, see 'em all in a row.”

“That sounds pleasant,” Castiel nodded. He hadn't seen any of the movies before, but Sam had been quite enthusiastic about them.

“All of us? I can come too?” Sam looked ecstatic, and Castiel smiled back at him.

“We can afford it,” Dean grinned as well. “It's amazing how well little old ladies will pay a charming young man trying to help out his family by doing odd jobs...”

“And amazing how bad their husbands are at poker?” Sam asked, just getting a shark-like grin from Dean in return.

At the talk of money, Castiel bit down on his lower lip. He knew that he was adding to their financial burdens by staying so often, but Dean never tried to get any money out of him. Which was handy, because Castiel didn't have any access to his family's money. The one time he'd mentioned getting a job to help out, Dean had waved him off, saying it wasn't necessary.

Blinking, Castiel forced himself back to the present at the clatter of cutlery. Sam was clearing the plates away, and Dean was giving him a familiar look – one that usually ended in nudity.

“Y'know Cas, if you don't like the movies I'm sure we can find a private corner in the darkness to celebrate another way.”

“You are incorrigible,” Castiel muttered. That didn't stop him from crawling towards Dean and straddling his lap, kissing him softly.

“Absolutely,” Dean agreed. “It's one of my many charms.”

~*~

Sam hummed happily to himself as he stared out of the window. The Impala was roaring along the road, taking them to a day of hiding in the cinema and pigging out on junk food. He couldn't imagine a much better day.

Glancing forward, he hugged himself a little in delight. Cas was sitting in the front seat next to Dean, looking happy as his eyes wandered around. Dean was clearly in a good mood, with a Metallica tape blaring from the speakers. It felt so right, like this was how their life was meant to be.

A thought kept niggling at the back of Sam's mind though. He still wasn't always sure what was going to happen between Cas and Dean. Sam loved his brother, more than anything, but he knew that Dean wasn't good at being a boyfriend. This thing with Cas had lasted longer than any other time, even though they were having sex.

His cheeks flushed slightly at that thought. It was still a little weird to think about sex, even after Dean had given him that helpful book and not so helpful talk. Cas seemed to enjoy Dean's attentions though, and they were still together. So maybe this would last.

Which left Sam wondering what would happen when they left. He still wanted to take Cas with them, but maybe that would be too much for Dean. Maybe... maybe when they left, Cas would be left all alone too.

Not wanting to think about Dean abandoning someone like that, Sam looked up – and caught Castiel's gaze in the rear view mirror. The older boy tilted his head a little, questioning, and Sam felt a warmth flood through him. Cas was worried about him, wanted to make sure that he was all right. So he smiled back, and started softly singing along to the tape.

He'd talk with Cas later, find out what he thought of the relationship, and whether he even wanted to leave with them.

~*~

“That was very entertaining,” Castiel nodded as he and Sam left the darkened screening room, headed for the bathroom. “Highly unrealistic, but entertaining none the less.”

“That's what makes him so fun,” Sam chirped happily. “The gun fights, the magic stuff, the whip... none of it's real, and that makes it okay to watch it.”

“If you say so.” It really had been highly enjoyable, all three boys too engrossed in the first movie for Dean to attempt anything untoward.

Once they had finished their business, Castiel hung back a little from re-entering the cinema. He had the feeling that something was bothering Sam, something that he didn't want to talk about in front of Dean. Sam looked around briefly, then tugged Castiel over to a bench a little out of the way. Though he was a little confused, Castiel let Sam have his way.

“Cas, I... do you and Dean... do you guys love each other?”

“I believe so,” Castiel answered, blinking a little in confusion. “Is that a problem?”

“No,” Sam shook his head emphatically. “I like you a lot, I want you to be okay. It's just... Dean's always going on about sex, and I worry... I don't want you to get hurt just 'cause Dean can't keep it in his pants.”

Castiel thought for a moment, then smiled. Of course. Sam was such an intelligent boy, it made sense that he was thinking about these things.

“Dean says many things which are not entirely truthful,” Castiel placed a hand on Sam's shoulder awkwardly. “He may insinuate that we frequently have intercourse, however it is not as often as he likes to make out. We spend far more time talking, sharing our thoughts, or just sitting in silence together. Do not fear, our relationship is based on more than coitus.”

By this time, Sam was blushing heavily. The boy nodded, clearly uncomfortable, but he had been the one to raise the subject. Castiel waited, wondering if there were other concerns to come.

“So, when we leave... what are you gonna do? Are you gonna come with us?”

“I hope so,” Castiel admitted softly. “I do not wish to stay with my father. Dean has not spoken about his plans for when you leave.”

“He doesn't really have plans,” Sam shrugged, still looking a little embarrassed. “Dean always just takes care of the problem right in front of him, then moves on to the next one.”

“I had noticed that. His desire to make life better for those who depend on him is one of Dean's more admirable qualities.”

“Hey you two,” Dean's voice called out then. Castiel and Sam looked up to see him beckoning from the cinema doors. “Hurry up, next film's about to start.”

Sam looked a little more reassured, so they stood and headed back in. On the way past, Dean snagged Castiel's hand and gave him one of those tender smiles, like he really was in love. It made Castiel's insides tighten in wonderful ways.

“Having a good birthday?” Dean whispered into his ear as they found their seats again. Castiel nodded and smiled, turning to press a brief kiss to Dean's cheek.

“The best birthday of my life,” he said sincerely. On one side he leaned against Dean's shoulder, their fingers entwined. On his other side, he reached out and took hold of Sam's twitching hand as well. As far as he was concerned, this was perfect.


	5. Chapter 5

~*~  
Part Five  
~*~

Castiel slipped out of Dean's bed and quietly made his way to the kitchen. They'd been together for a month, and Castiel still spent most of his time with the Winchesters. He just felt so much better with them, so much more alive and cared for. He stretched his wings out, glad that he could. Lucifer didn't like it when Castiel showed his wings at home, whereas Dean loved being able to see and feel the soft feathers.

Looking around the kitchen, Castiel found the things he'd need and started making lunches for everyone. He was a naturally early riser, whereas Dean preferred to sleep in, and it made him feel good to be able to contribute something to the boys who gave so much to him.

“Morning Cas,” Sam said sleepily as he came in as well, looking for breakfast.

“Good morning,” Castiel nodded back. “What would you like for lunch today?”

“Peanut butter and jelly?” Sam looked up, and Castiel reached for the jars. “Thanks Cas!”

“You're welcome.” The pair continued in silence, Sam getting breakfast while Castiel finished making and packing lunches.

“Your feathers are kinda messy,” Sam spoke then. Castiel glanced behind himself to check, and saw that several feathers were indeed out of place. “How do you fix them?”

“It can be difficult,” Castiel admitted. “It is a matter of physically realigning them.”

“Can I help?”

“Certainly.” Castiel looked around, then nodded. “It would be best if you sat on the table.”

“Okay,” Sam climbed up. Castiel moved towards him and sat backwards on a chair, facing away from the boy. His wings spread up and out, and Sam was able to reach all of the misaligned feathers.

“This is so cool,” Sam whispered. Castiel smiled over his shoulder indulgently.

“I am glad you think so. I am happy to be here with you and Dean. You are both very good to me.”

“Good to hear,” a deep voice came from the doorway, and both glanced over at where Dean was leaning on the door jamb. “Wouldn't wanna be accused of mistreating my boy.”

“I thought I was your boy?” Sam sounded rather petulant. Dean quickly threw him his 'I'm an awesome big brother' smile.

“You're my baby boy,” Dean reassured his little brother. “Always will be. Cas is _my boy_.” Castiel wasn't entirely sure of the difference, but Sam seemed placated.

“You treat me very well,” Castiel smiled shyly. He heard a slight growl from Dean, and knew that he was getting turned on. Something that was confirmed when Dean crossed the room in two strides and bent down to kiss him. Both ignored Sam's protests of kissing being 'gross'.

“You're awesome,” Dean pulled back, looking Castiel in the eye. Cas felt himself blush, still unused to receiving compliments, but leaned up to brush his lips against Dean's anyway.

He never wanted to leave this family.

~*~

Castiel kept his gaze lowered as he headed towards home. He knew that Dean was spending the afternoon doing yard work for one of the elderly women who seemed to adore him, and Sam was on a school camping trip, so he had to go back to his father. To be honest, Cas wasn't even sure if his family noticed that he was spending so much time away from the house.

“Leave me alone!”

Pausing, Castiel looked up. He recognised his sister's voice, and she sounded almost scared. When his gaze landed on Ruby, he saw that she was facing off against three of the boys in Castiel's class who liked to pick on him.

“C'mon,” one of them – Daryl – spoke as he leered at Ruby. “Your brother's a complete slut, show us how much you'd like it too.”

“I'm sure it runs in the family,” Jeff said.

Castiel was used to the things people said about him, but he'd never considered that someone might taunt Ruby about it too. While the pair had never exactly gotten along, he wasn't about to let his little sister get bullied.

“Back off,” Castiel growled as he quickly walked over. “You have a problem with me, fine. Leave her out of it.”

“Make them stop,” Ruby pleaded softly as she backed up past Castiel, hiding behind him almost.

“Stupid fag,” Daryl sneered. Castiel just rolled his eyes.

“You've called me that every day for the last two years,” he pointed out. “It's rather lost its potency by now. Can't you think up a better insult? After all, you're not using your brains for anything else.”

“How dare you?” Daryl glared.

“My sister is not fair game,” Castiel spoke firmly over him, fed up with the bullshit. “If you want to fight me just say so, but if you touch Ruby I will make you regret it.”

After a few tense seconds, the boys turned and walked away, grumbling between them. Castiel let out a brief sigh of relief, then turned to Ruby.

“It would be best if you avoided them when possible,” he commented to her. “Teenage boys tend to have more testosterone than brains, and they may hurt you.”

Ruby was staring up at him. Tilting his head a little, Castiel stared back. He wasn't sure what Ruby was thinking, never had been, but he was good at waiting people out.

“You stuck up for me,” Ruby said after a while, sounding confused.

“Yes. You are my sister.”

“But I'm mean to you.”

“I am aware of that.”

“So why were you nice?”

“Because you are my sister,” Castiel frowned. “You have been taught to hate me by our father and uncles, but you are still young. You can improve.”

“Oh.”

Castiel indicated with his head, and the siblings started walking back home, this time together. When they were almost there, Ruby spoke up again.

“I don't hate you,” she slipped her hand into Castiel's. “I just... never thought about it.”

“I know,” Cas nodded.

“I'm not sure if I can change.”

“You can try,” Castiel shrugged. “Or not. You are still my little sister. I will always forgive you.”

They arrived home, and they both headed to their rooms – Ruby on the first floor, her spacious room overlooking the garden, while Castiel was up in the attic. He didn't notice the thoughtful look on Ruby's face as he headed up to try and do his homework alone.

~*~

On Sunday evening, Castiel kept watching Sam. Dean was a little confused, used to being the centre of Castiel's attention, but he wasn't about to complain that Cas seemed to be ignoring him. It was probably just one of those Cas-things, and instead Dean took the opportunity to quickly finish his own neglected homework, hiding in the bedroom so that he wouldn't be distracted.

Until, that is, he heard Cas speaking in a sharp tone.

“Sam, you need to go to bed. You are becoming sick. Go to sleep.”

“I don't wanna...”

“That does not matter. You are ill. You need rest. I will gladly bring you some juice, and food if you are hungry, but you require sleep more than television.”

“But Caaaaas...”

Yup, that was it. Sam's 'I'm feeling sick enough to be stroppy but well enough to not want to be coddled' voice. Dean was an expert in Sam's various excuses, and quickly rose to try and diffuse the situation before Sam could throw a tantrum.

“No buts,” Cas spoke firmly. “Sleep. Do you want me to read you a story?”

There was silence for a moment, then – to Dean's amazement – Sam seemed to give in.

“Could you read the next chapter of this to me? And get Dean to make me some Lucky Charms?”

“Of course,” Cas responded. The next moment, Cas walked into their bedroom carrying Sam and put him down in his bed. Dean took a careful look, and agreed that Sam was flushed and his eyes were a little too bright. The fact that he snuggled down into his blankets was also quite telling – the boy usually didn't like going to bed too early, and it was barely past sun-down.

“You feeling okay baby boy?” Dean asked, quickly going over to brush Sam's hair out of his face. The simple gesture also allowed him to get a feel for the boy's temperature. It wasn't too high, so he figured it was most likely a cold or some similar bug, nothing too bad.

That wasn't going to stop him from pampering his little brother, though.

“Cas says I'm sick,” Sam pouted up at him. Dean's heart broke – though he'd never admit it – and he leaned down to brush a kiss over Sam's forehead.

“Yeah, it sucks. I'll get you those Lucky Charms, okay? You get some rest.”

“Okay Dean. Cas is gonna read to me.”

“That sounds good,” Dean smiled. “I might listen in too. We can all have an early night.”

“Lucky Charms first?”

“Yeah, Lucky Charms first.”

Dean shared a smile with Cas as they passed each other. Trust Cas to watch out for Sam. Sometimes, it really did feel like Sam was their son. It was odd how that didn't freak Dean out at all, and just made him want to hold Cas tighter, never let him go.

It was then that he realised, he hadn't actually told Cas how much he wanted them to stay together. As he poured Sam's cereal for him, Dean swore that he would talk to Cas and convince him to leave with them when the time came. From the way that he'd slotted into their life so easily, Dean didn't think Cas would have too many objections.

~*~

Castiel lay curled around Dean, head on the older boy's chest, smiling to himself as Dean ran deft fingers through his hair. It was very soothing, as was the sound of Sam's peaceful breathing coming from the next bed. There was some tension in the broad chest beneath his cheek though, so Castiel didn't let himself fall asleep.

“Hey, Cas?” Dean's soft voice rumbled in his chest. “I was thinking...”

“Should I be concerned about that?” Castiel asked. He received a swat to the backside for his effort, and smiled again.

“Cheeky. Tryin' to be serious here.”

“My apologies. Continue.”

“Well, I was thinking... when Sam and I leave, I want you to come with us.”

There it was, what Castiel had been longing for. He shifted his head to look up into Dean's eyes, seeing the sincerity there. They held each other's gaze for several long moments, before Castiel leaned in and slowly brushed his lips against Dean's.

“I would like that very much,” he whispered between soft kisses. He felt Dean's hands caressing his sides, and sighed in contentment.

This was how it was meant to be. They were a family, the three of them, and they had a future together. Life was perfect.


	6. Chapter 6

~*~  
Part Six  
~*~

Castiel had been spending his nights with Dean for several weeks when he noticed something odd. He was feeling more and more protective of Sam, wanting to keep the younger boy in sight much as Dean did, and his back hurt as though his wings were trying to emerge without his permission. He ended up with his wings fully extended for most of the time he was with the Winchesters – which Dean didn't object to at all. As it happened, Dean had something of a fetish for Castiel's wings. Each time he left, though, it was harder and harder to retract his wings.

When he awoke one Friday morning with one of his wings spread over Dean like a blanket while the other reached across to Sam's bed, he knew that something was going on.

“Dude,” Dean grinned sleepily at him. “Your wings are awesome. C'mon, we gotta get Sammy up and ready.”

Castiel nodded, then curled his wings in close. This time though, he couldn't force his wings to retract any further, and became very uneasy.

“Hey, you okay?” Dean asked as he sat up properly. “You sick or something?”

“I do not know,” Castiel frowned. “I cannot... my wings will not retract.”

“That doesn't sound good,” Dean was clearly worried, stroking his hand up and down Castiel's arm. “Know of any reason?”

“I am unsure. I shall skip school and instead search through my father's library whilst he is at work,” Castiel decided. “He has a few volumes on Eyrian physiology which may help.”

~*~

_Extremely rare, male carriers are often revered as sacred. It is difficult to tell a male capable of bearing an egg from other male Eyrians as a fledgeling, however upon reaching pubescence a carrier's wings will grow much more rapidly than those of others. When the first egg is conceived, a male carrier will have their wings permanently extended, ready to fight off potential aggressors or fly to safety._

_One of the benefits of being a male carrier is that males are genetically predisposed towards being stronger than females, making a successful pregnancy more likely, and once the egg is birthed both carrier and sire are able to protect it until the new infant hatches._

Castiel stared at the page, information whirling around inside his head. He was a male carrier. He was carrying an egg. He was carrying _Dean's_ egg.

He wasn't sure how long he sat, lost in thought, but it was too long. Before he could snap out of it and put the books away, he heard someone enter the library. Looking up, he saw his father, looking furious.

“What are you doing in here?” Lucifer spoke in that low tone that always meant danger. “You're meant to be in school. You're not allowed in this room. Are you trying to get punished?”

“No Father,” Castiel shook his head, struggling not to tremble. Lucifer had never hit him before, but his words were always so much worse than his uncles' fists. “I needed... my wings...”

Lucifer glanced up at the appendages and sneered. Castiel knew his father's opinion of his black wings. Then Lucifer seemed to freeze, and Castiel dreaded what was coming next.

“They're bigger... you stupid little slut!” Lucifer shouted suddenly, and Castiel jumped away from where he'd been looking through the books, knocking into one of the shelves. “You're pregnant, aren't you? I should have snapped your damn neck when you first showed up here!”

Castiel kept backing away, trying not to cry. To be hearing this when he was already shaken was too much to bear, but Lucifer just kept advancing and shouting.

“You couldn't even keep your legs closed until I picked out a mate for you! You're just a worthless little whore. Well, a good thrashing should get rid of the egg, and then maybe I can sell you off. Get over here!”

Castiel flinched away when Lucifer made a grab at him, and struck out with one wing. He'd never fought back before, but right now he knew he needed to protect his egg. Nothing mattered except getting out with the egg he was carrying intact – so he darted forward and struck several rapid blows against his father's chest with his wings, until the man dropped to one side long enough for Castiel to dash past and escape.

There was the sound of someone pursuing him, but Castiel didn't turn to look. He heard a strange yet familiar voice call his name from behind, and kept going down the hallway towards the open balcony. His momentum carried him forward, jumping up and taking off from the railing, not caring about anything other than getting back to Dean.

~*~

“What the hell's going on?” Gabriel looked around the library with a sinking feeling. It looked trashed, and Lucifer was only just standing up from where he'd apparently been attacked. “Why did little Castiel fly off?”

“Because he's a stupid whore,” Lucifer spat as he spun on his heel, stalking away. “He's just like his mother. Worthless.”

“Hey!” Gabriel was shocked at the venom he heard. “Don't talk about him that way, he's your son.”

“Not any more. I'm disowning him as soon as I can call Michael to sign off on it.”

Gabriel was at a loss. He knew that things were tense, but he'd always accepted Lucifer's comments about Castiel becoming a sullen teenager and not wanting to come visit any more. It sounded like there was more to the story though, and he wanted to find out what it was.

He took a few steps further into the library, then bent to pick up the books that were strewn on the ground. It was with a sinking feeling that he realised what they all had in common.

“He's a carrier, isn't he?” Gabriel asked softly. “Lucifer, a male carrier is a precious gift, and instinct should be telling him to get somewhere safe. Why wouldn't he see his home as a safe place?”

Lucifer glanced up, sending a glare towards his younger brother, and Gabriel felt as though a truck had slammed into him.

“You... complete and utter DICK!” Gabriel roared, truly angry for the first time in years. “What have you been doing to your son? I thought he was just naturally skinny, I accepted his excuses about the scarring! How could you do that to him?”

“Because he ruined everything!” Lucifer shouted back. “Now if you aren't going to be of any use, get out of my house!”

“Gladly,” Gabriel fumed, turning to leave. He realised that he didn't know where Castiel had gone, but he felt sure that he could track the poor fledgeling down. Castiel needed to be cared for right now, needed a nest to properly settle and birth the egg. Between them, Gabriel knew that he and Balthazar could find Castiel.

Before he reached the front door though, he heard a voice call out to him.

“Uncle Gabriel?”

He turned and saw Ruby, looking up with her calculating eyes. Pausing, he nodded to her.

“Are you going to help Cas stay safe?” she asked, and Gabriel blinked in surprise.

“Yeah. Do you need help too? Are you getting hurt?”

“Nah,” Ruby shook her head. “Dad gives me whatever I want.” She paused, apparently considering, then walked over. “I can tell you where Cas will be. His boyfriend's little brother's in my class. The Winchester boys live on Hodge Street. I can't remember the number, but there'll be a black... Impala, I think that's the car, out the front. Dean's in love with his car.”

Gabriel nodded again, and gently stroked along her hair.

“Thank you, Ruby. Castiel's going to need help.”

“He's needed help for years,” Ruby sneered, and Gabriel felt it like a blow to his stomach. “Just, Dean's the first one to notice.”

She turned and walked away, and Gabriel hung his head. He felt as though he'd failed his nephew, and wondered if maybe he should just leave the boy alone. If he'd been treated like this by his family, Gabriel knew that he wouldn't want anything to do with any of them.

~*~

Castiel slammed into the ground outside of Dean's house. He was shaking from the adrenaline, and the sudden rush of emotions that was flowing through him. It was unlikely that he'd be able to stand – but that was okay, since Dean ran out the front door moments later.

“Cas! Shit, what's wrong? Talk to me, babe,” Dean quickly gathered Cas up in his arms, holding him close much as that first night they'd become intimate. It was almost enough to make the tears that were threatening fall, but Castiel was determined not to show just how terrified he was right now.

“I apologise for the inconvenience,” Castiel drew back a little, suddenly unsure of how Dean would take the news. “I didn't know where else to go... if you don't want me around I understand, I can leave and find somewhere to stay–”

“What are you talking about?” Dean cut over him easily. “I thought we'd been over the fact that I want you around enough already. Cas, take a deep breath and talk to me. Whatever's wrong, we'll find a way to fix it.”

“I'm... I'm carrying.”

“Carrying what?” Dean merely looked confused. “Doesn't look like you're carrying much, other than these wings of yours.”

“I'm carrying an egg,” Castiel laid it out plainly. “I was not even aware that it was possible, but I'm with child... your child.”

He felt Dean tense up, and tried to curl in on himself again. Even so, he kept talking, needing to explain.

“That's why my wings will not retract, because instinct says I need them to protect my young. We are so much like birds when it comes to these base instinct. I have the desire to find somewhere safe from predators and make a nest, I fought back against Lucifer to ensure the egg is not damaged. I just... don't know what to do now,” he finished in a low voice, feeling lost.

“This is just...” Dean sounded so confused, Castiel couldn't help the almost hysterical giggle that escaped. “Lemme get this straight. You're pregnant.”

“I am incubating an egg, yes.”

“I'm the dad. Well, the other dad.”

“Yes. I have never been with anyone else,” Castiel tried to pull away, hurt at the insinuation, but Dean just yanked him close again, arms winding around Castiel's waist in a comforting manner.

“Not questioning that, babe. Just getting it all fixed in my head. So, you fought Lucifer... he's kicked you out?”

“He said I was a worthless whore who would only bring shame on the family.”

“That...” Dean sounded furious, and Castiel risked looking up at his face properly. “If he ever comes near you again I'm going to kill him. Don't know how, but I will.” The calm sureness in Dean's voice was surprisingly comforting for Castiel, knowing that Dean was willing to go that far to keep him and the egg safe. “Fine. You don't need him anyway. I'm your boyfriend, I knocked you up, you're staying with me and Sammy now.”

“You are certain of this?” Castiel asked, hope rising within him.

“Of course,” Dean grinned down at him, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “It's gonna be tricky, but we'll manage. The four of us. Ain't no way I'm skipping out on my kid, Cas. Anyway, I already asked you to come with us when we left. Didn't like the thought of you staying and getting hurt even when it was only you at risk. Now there's no way I'm leaving you behind.”

Castiel surged up and kissed Dean, throwing everything he felt into it. Dean seemed perfectly fine with the development, and Castiel felt his wings relax from their defensive stance for the first time since finding out he was carrying. Instead they wrapped loosely around Dean as the pair kissed, and Castiel felt that things were going to be okay.

~*~

Dean watched as Castiel slept, exhausted from the day's emotions, and tried to figure out what he was going to do. They couldn't stay here, it was too dangerous with the rest of the Angelou family so close. Dean wanted to take Cas as far away from them as he could. He knew that he needed to step up and take care of his child, create a safe home for all of them. A large part of him was scared, though a small part kept whispering that he was already raising Sammy. What difference was a baby going to make? At least he could find some way of making a stable environment for the kid, make sure it was always loved.

He sighed and wandered back to the living room. Sam would be back from school soon – he'd insisted that he could walk himself while Dean waited for news from Cas – and he had to figure out a way of telling him.

“I wish you were here, Mom,” Dean whispered to thin air, closing his eyes. “I really need some help. I don't know what to do, how to keep any of us safe.”

After a few minutes, Dean opened his eyes again and reached for the phone, dialling a number that he hadn't used in quite a while but had memorised years earlier.

“Hey Bobby? It's Dean. I... I need help with something, and Dad can't find out.”

~*~

Sam was in a bad mood when he stomped up the porch steps. Ever since he'd told Ruby she was a bitch, he'd been shunned by all the other kids. He hated this town, even though he liked it just being him and Dean on their own. He liked Cas too, but was mad that standing up for someone had made him an outcast. So when he saw Dean sitting on the couch, staring at his phone, Sam was ready to throw the biggest tantrum ever if Dad was being a jerk again.

“Did Dad call?” Sam started off sullenly. Dean's head jerked up, and Sam felt a little bad. He knew that Dean tried to hide how he felt, but sometimes Dean's eyes betrayed just how much he struggled to keep things together.

“Nah,” Dean shook his head, then held out an arm. “C'mere Sammy, we need to talk about something.”

“What?” Sam asked, going forwards anyway. He liked getting to cuddle with Dean.

“Well, you know how Cas isn't human? That his body's different to other boys?”

“Yeah Dean, I'm not blind,” Sam rolled his eyes. “He's got wings. And you love him.”

“He does... and I do. So you know what Cas and I do when you're not in the room.”

“Dean, I know about sex,” Sam started to get a bad feeling. “If you're trying to give me 'the talk', I already read books about it, remember? You said you didn't want to suffer through that conversation.”

“Nah,” Dean chuckled, and Sam felt a little better. “Well, sort of. Y'see, apparently some boy Eyrians can... get pregnant.”

Sam digested the information, then nodded.

“So you and Cas are going to have a baby?”

“Knew you were the smart one,” Dean hugged him tighter. “Yeah. Cas' dad flipped and threw him out. I'm gonna do the right thing and take care of him. But it means finding somewhere to live, settle down, and... and not trying to find Dad, or let him near Cas if he does come back. No way would he understand that Cas isn't a monster.”

Sam froze. Dean would have a proper home? Not moving around all the time? But... He threw his arms around Dean's neck, hugging him tight.

“You're taking me with you, right? You can't leave me!”

“Of course I'm bringing you,” Dean rubbed Sam's back, sounding amused. “Never gonna abandon you baby boy.” They sat for a few minutes while Sam calmed down from his momentary panic.

“I called Uncle Bobby before,” Dean continued. “He's heard of Eyrians, and won't try to hurt Cas. He's looking into finding a house in Sioux Falls for us, you, me and Cas. We'll be a family. You can go to school there, finish school even. I'll help Bobby in the junk yard for money, means he can spend more time hunting in the area, making it safe for us all. We'll make it work.”

Sam nodded, mood completely turned around.

“When do we leave?”

“Well...” Dean shifted, apparently nervous about something. “I want to leave as soon as we can. I know school's got another month before the end of the year, so we can organise for your results to be sent to Bobby's and leave right after you finish.”

“Or we could leave tomorrow,” Sam suggested. “I don't like this school any more. And it'd be better for Cas to have somewhere stable as soon as possible, right? We've done some school in Sioux Falls before, I know kids there, they won't find it too weird that I show up now. Please Dean?”

“Is this about you or Cas?” Dean laughed, and Sam knew that they were leaving. “But okay. If you're sure, we'll pack up our things and leave tomorrow.”

“Yeah,” Sam hugged Dean tight again. “We're gonna be a family.” He paused for a moment, wondering, then shyly looked up at Dean. “So, are you and Cas going to be my parents?”

“Sorta,” Dean shrugged, looking a little confused. “I'll be your guardian, definitely.”

“So... can I call you Dad instead? And can Cas be my mom?”

Dean fell silent, and Sam worried that he'd said the wrong thing. The truth was, he'd always wanted to have people he could call Mom and Dad around all the time, not just have a father who was there some of the time, and Dean had always been more of a parent than their dad was.

“If you really want,” Dean said, “I guess you can call me Dad. You'll have to ask Cas what he thinks about being called Mom though.”

“I would prefer something paternal,” Castiel's voice sounded, and both Sam and Dean jumped. They hadn't heard Cas approaching the couch. “I shall need to get used to it anyway, as that is what I shall be for the child, but I am not a woman.”

“Okay,” Sam agreed easily. His smile was so big his cheeks were hurting, but he didn't care. He was getting a proper family. For possibly the first time since his brother had entered puberty, Sam was glad that Dean was a bit of a slut.

~*~

For the rest of the afternoon, Dean made his way around to the different little old ladies that he'd been helping, and let them all know that he was going to be leaving. Several of them gave him bonus money, and Doris also gave him a few books that Sam had been reading at her place. With a pocket full of cash, he was pretty sure that they'd be able to get to Bobby's without much trouble.

When he let himself back in the front door, Dean couldn't help the smile. Castiel was sitting on the couch, wings spread and cradling Sam close as the youngest read aloud. Every now and then Sam would stumble on a word, and Castiel would gently coax him in the right direction.

“You two look happy,” he commented. Sam looked up and grinned widely, while Cas looked a little embarrassed.

“Cas knows almost as much as you do!” Sam exclaimed.

“Good to hear,” Dean sat down next to them, and leaned across to peck Cas on the cheek. “We've got enough to get to Bobby's. Enough to order in dinner even. Old ladies are awesome.”

“Can we have pizza?” Sam's eyes went wide and pleading, and Dean laughed.

“Sure. Go grab the menu.”

Sam squirmed off of Castiel's lap and ran to the kitchen. Dean pulled Cas in for a proper kiss, though he kept it brief.

“I don't think I shall ever grow used to this,” Castiel whispered, leaning into Dean's touch.

“Get used to what?”

“Being loved. I have spent so long wishing for it... to be in a family where everyone is loved, it has been my wish for so long that I don't know what to do now.”

“That's easy,” Dean kissed the tip of Castiel's nose and caressed his wing. “Just let yourself feel. I'll take care of everything.”

“No,” Cas spoke firmly, and for a moment Dean felt his insides turn to ice until his boyfriend continued. “You don't have to do everything. I'm going to help you. This is my child too, and Sam... he's a wonderful boy. I'm glad that he accepts me as a parental figure as well. Dean, I want a partner. I don't need a prince charming to swoop in and do everything for me. I am a male carrier, not a useless damsel in distress.”

“You think I'm charming?” Dean couldn't help himself. “Awesome.”

Castiel just rolled his eyes as Sam came back with the different pizza menus. Dean had the feeling that his little brother had been waiting while he and Cas spoke, purposely giving them some privacy, but no one mentioned it. Sometimes, his little brother was the best ever.

~*~

Dean was glancing around the kitchen, trying to think if there was anything else that needed to be packed up, when there was a knock on the door. Immediately on edge, Dean slid his revolver out of his waistband and went to check who would be calling here.

“Who the hell are you?” He asked the stranger on the doorstep. The man was only a little taller than Dean was, with golden hair and eyes.

“I'm Gabriel,” he said, hands raised a little. “Castiel is my nephew, and–”

Dean immediately raised the revolver to point straight at Gabriel's head, and glared.

“You listen to me, you feathered dick,” Dean growled. “Your family has done nothing but hurt Cas all his life. Now I don't know much about Eyrian physiology, but I'm pretty sure a blessed silver bullet to the brain is gonna hurt you. So back off and leave us alone.”

~*~

Gabriel felt his eyes widen as surprise coursed through him. This wasn't exactly how he'd pictured seeing his nephew again, but he slowly backed away even as his mind raced.

“Look, kid,” he tried to talk the boy down. “I just want to talk to Castiel. Please.”

“Why, so you can call him a whore too?” The gun didn't waver, though Gabriel could hear the fury in the boy's voice. “You want another turn at beating the crap out of him? Not gonna happen. It's my responsibility to take care of him now, and I'm gonna do it.”

“Dean?” Castiel's voice sounded from further inside the house, and Gabriel felt a little reassured. “Why are you threatening to shoot someone?”

“One of your uncles,” Dean called back. “Don't worry, he's not coming inside.”

Gabriel caught sight of Castiel behind Dean, wings curled tight against his body.

“That is Gabriel,” Castiel was speaking in a low tone, though Gabriel could still hear him. “He has never raised a hand to me. I am willing to listen.”

“Okay,” Dean didn't sound pleased. “But he's staying over there.”

“That's fine,” Gabriel called, backing up a little more so that he was off the porch and in plain view of them both. Dean stepped out of the doorway, gun lowered but not gone, and Castiel stepped out beside him. Gabriel noted that Dean kept himself a little in front of Castiel, clearly ready to protect him.

“What did you wish to say?” Castiel asked. “You have not shown an interest in me since I was younger.”

“That's not true,” Gabriel shook his head. “It was Lucifer and Michael I had a problem with. I left to get away from them fighting. I never realised you were being mistreated, I only found out yesterday.” He took a deep breath, trying to stay calm – something that had never exactly been his strong point. “Castiel, this is going to be a difficult time for you. Do you even understand the changes your body's going through? Being a male carrier is a difficult thing, and you're going to be under a great deal of stress... you should be somewhere safe.”

“I will be,” Castiel was glaring a little, apparently displeased at the slight against his partner. “Dean has already made steps to provide a home and nest for me. We shall be leaving today.”

“Really?” Gabriel raised an eyebrow. “Guys, you're just kids. I'm not trying to break you up, but I can help.”

Dean opened his mouth to respond, before a look of fear flashed across his face. The more interesting reaction, however, was Castiel. His wings had flared out into almost a fighting stance, and a low warbling was leaving his throat – clear signs that he perceived a threat to his child. But Castiel was only newly carrying, Gabriel knew, which meant...

He glanced over his shoulder, and realised that there was a young boy standing several feet away, holding a bundle of tan cloth to his chest and looking unsure. Gabriel slowly raised his hands and side-stepped, leaving a clear path for the boy to approach the house. Once he'd moved, the boy bolted for the porch, jumping the steps to be quickly embraced by Castiel's wings. Whoever he was, the boy was clearly viewed as Castiel's.

“I can help you,” Gabriel started again. “Things are going to be tough. Let me at least get you some books so you can learn what to expect. It's more likely that you will have an egg, and Eyrian hatchlings are very different from human babies. Hell, the egg itself won't hatch for a couple of years, and you've gotta take care of it while it grows to full size. That takes a lot of work, especially if you're not sure what you're doing.”

Castiel was stroking the youngest boy's hair and looking thoughtful, while Dean had lowered the gun further.

“How about this?” Gabriel suggested. “You have somewhere to go for now. Once you're settled, call me and we can meet up, and then we can talk. Or if there are any problems. Or just... y'know. Anything. This is a lot to handle by yourselves.”

Dean looked appeased and nodded. Castiel, however, still seemed a little concerned.

“Gabriel?” He started, then stopped. Dean ran a hand through the feathers on Castiel's wing, and the youngling seemed to gain some more confidence. “Are you... disappointed in me? For carrying so young?”

“Of course not,” Gabriel shook his head, smiling a little. “I'm a big fan of sex. I'm just glad that it's someone who cares about you, and that you weren't raped. Because then I'd have to slaughter the bastard, and I'm already having trouble thinking up how to punish my brothers for what they've done to you.”

At that, Dean broke into a large grin, and Castiel rolled his eyes a little. Gabriel left with a wave, feeling that things might be better next time he saw his nephew.

~*~

Castiel lay in the back seat of the Impala, covered by a large tan overcoat Sam had found in the charity shop. His wings were going to be tricky, but Dean had immediately vetoed the idea of Cas flying to South Dakota. So covering them up it was.

Dean glanced back in the rear view mirror, smiling a little as Cas shifted. It was still hard to believe that they were going to have a baby together, and he couldn't quite figure out how the whole egg thing was going to work, but he knew they'd get by.

Next to him, Sam was reading aloud from one of the books he'd picked up. It was set in a different reality, and had plenty of adventure, so all three were entertained whilst Sam was improving his reading. Every now and then Dean smiled across at him, saying how proud he was without actually saying anything.

As they passed through La Crosse and into Minnesota, Dean breathed a sigh of relief. Another eight hours and they'd be at Bobby's. Home was beckoning.

~*~

_“Did they live happily ever after?” Marie mumbled, clearly more than halfway back to sleep._

_“Don't know about happily ever after,” her surrogate brother shrugged. “They're still living though. Still going strong, and they love all of their kids. Even the ones they didn't sire.”_

_“Have you finished, Sam?” Castiel spoke up from where he'd been leaning against the door frame, watching his family were curled up on the youngest child's bed with a strong sense of contentment. They all looked up and smiled._

_“Yes Papa,” Sam nodded. “She's almost asleep.”_

_“Very well. Good night sweetheart.”_

_“Night, baby girl,” Dean reached over and kissed his daughter on the temple. She waved sleepily as Dean, Castiel and Sam all left the room._

_“Night night.”_


End file.
